by Briann Danae
“Those are cute girl! How much she charge you, babe? I need to start going to her,” she laughed, making Sen flick her off on the sly.
“Too fucking much,” Sen hissed, pulling his hand back and standing to his feet.
Neicey shot him a dirty look about cursing in front of her and helped pull him to his feet. “Alright. When she start cursing you out, don’t say anything.”
Sen sucked his teeth and looked over at Daiya. “Nah. She knows better. Ain’t that right, Dai? Only grown folks can cuss.”
Daiya shrugged her shoulders. “I guess so, but you have ponytails like me and I’m not grown… so, I don’t know. I’ll ask my Daddy.”
“I’ll ask my daddy,” Sen mocked in a playful voice. “She loves that nigga, man,” he laughed, pulling Neicey into a hug. Daiya was focused back on her iPad on the floor, so Sen had the perfect opportunity to feel Neicey up.
Gripping a handful of her ass, he smacked it before spinning her around and walking toward their kitchen. Hands around her waist, Neicey felt herself immediately melt into Sen’s firm hold. Today was a long day for her. Physically, she was fine. Mentally, she needed this hug more than she thought she did. Placing a few kisses on her neck, Sen trailed his lips up to her ear and bit it softly, pulling a whimper from Neicey’s mouth.
“How was your day? A nigga missed you.”
Neicey giggled. “You always miss me when I’m gone.”
“That shit ain’t ever going to change either. So, what’s up? Talk to me.”
While he was asking questions, his hands were roaming her body, making it hard for Neicey to comprehend what he was even asking her. Once his large palms gripped her breasts and tweaked her nipples, she pivoted in her stance to face him.
“You want to know about my day, or you want to feel me up?” she asked with a smirk.
Sen licked his lips. “Shit, I really want you to suck my dick, but I was trying to be a gentleman and take things slow.”
“Awww! Isn’t that sweet. Let me find out Daiya softening you up,” Neicey cooed, tugging at his pigtails.
There was so much hair products piled on his head, Neicey knew Sen was going to be pissed when it was time for her to wash his hair. Not only did he have the nerve to have long hair, the nigga was tender headed as well. He hated getting his hair shampooed, griped when he got it braided, and hated when Neicey pulled on his shit when they had sex. She didn’t care though. Sen stayed pulling on her weave. One day, he was going to mess around and snatch her wig off, and she was going to whoop his ass.
Sen shrugged at the thought. “I doubt it. That’s my little shawty, though.”
“Mhm. Is she spending the night?”
“I don’t know. Her damn parents ain’t called to check on her all day. They some unfit mufuckas, I tell you,” Sen fussed, making Neicey laugh.
“Boy, don’t do my friend. Let me call her,” she said while pulling her phone from her purse, but Sen snatched it away.
“Nah. She good. My nigga might be getting some. Don’t call fucking up the groove.”
Neicey gave him the ‘yeah right’ look. Big as ever and ready to pop, if Erica was getting some dick, it wasn’t for long. She got exhausted from just thinking about sex with Meechi. He, on the other hand, loved to be laid up inside of her. And that’s what he had been doing since they left the wedding planner’s office earlier that day. With their wedding scheduled two months after she delivered, the couple wanted to make sure everything was in order before the baby was born. The last thing Meechi wanted Erica to be doing was stressing with a newborn. He’d shut everything down for her sanity and didn’t care who had something to say about it.
“Boy, you won’t be getting none if you don’t give me my phone back. Erica is probably somewhere sleeping. Now, I don’t mind keeping Daiya, but homegirl should have been called to check on her child.”
Sen pouted his lips to the side and shook his head. “Exactly what the fuck I said. You gone listen to me one day.”
“Mhm. Keep praying on that one,” Neicey chuckled, while dialing Erica’s number up. On the fourth ring, she answered all out of breath, and Neicey started to regret calling.
“Hello,” Erica huffed into the receiver.
“Nope. Call me back.”
“Why? What I do?”
Neicey rolled her eyes. “Girl, you will not be talking to me sounded like that. You just got done fucking?”
“No, hoe! I am very much pregnant, and it takes all of my energy just to roll over and grab my phone,” she replied defensively, making Neicey laugh.
“Fat self. I thought you were over there getting it in.”
Erica looked at Meechi, who had just walked out of the bathroom with a towel draped around his lower half, and wish she was getting it in. Water droplets from the shower he had just stepped out of glistened on his solid eight-pack, making Erica’s breathing become labored. After years of dating, getting engaged, and creating life twice with him, Meechi was still as fine as the day she met him at Big Lous’ gas station. The only thing that had changed about him physically were the few grey hairs sprinkled throughout his beard. Daiya had her baby stressing, but the grey only added to his sex appeal.
“What’s up baby?” he asked, peeping her lustful stare.
Swallowing the saliva that almost slipped from her mouth, Erica chuckled and shook her head. She couldn’t wait to become his wife and drop this baby. Meechi had better be lucky she didn’t try and get pregnant again, fooling around with her.
“Nothing. Talking to Neicey.”
“Is your child spending the night? Sen said ya’ll haven’t called all day to check on her.”
Removing the phone from her ear, Erica placed it on speaker phone and told Neicey to repeat what she just said, so Meechi could hear. Sucking his teeth, he dropped his towel and slid into a pair of boxers.
“That nigga lying. I called earlier and he said he was getting his nails done, so I let his ass be. I know how you women get about your spa days,” he laughed, making them chuckle.
“Don’t even try and front like Daiya don’t be painting your nails,” Neicey said, removing a pack of chicken from the fridge.
Meechi shrugged and slid underneath the covers. Wrapping his arms around Erica’s belly, he nestled his face in her neck before replying, “She do, but tell that nigga to stop playing like we abandoned her.”
“Shit, ya’ll did!” Neicey exclaimed, making Erica laugh. “Nah, I’m playing. But, she can stay the night. I’ll have to search for her overnight bag that I know ya’ll sent. Those two have my living room a mess.”
“Good. Now you see how we feel. Tell my baby to come talk to me,” Erica told her, before letting out a yawn.
Calling Daiya’s name, she skipped into the kitchen with a smile on her face. “Yes?”
“Hi daddy’s baby,” Meechi spoke, making Erica roll her eyes.
“Hi daddy! What you doing?”
“Laying here with mommy. What you doing?” Erica asked, interrupting Meechi.
Though she loved and adored their father daughter relationship, she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous about Daiya being a daddy’s girl. Meechi could do no wrong in Daiya’s eyes, and that’s how he wanted to keep it. He was going to always be the first man she ever loved, and, she, the third female he gave his heart to. First was his mother, then Erica.
“Hey mommy. Senny let me do his hair and nails, but he wasn’t trying to pay me and I had to tell him what daddy told me,” Daiya said while poking her lips out, making Neicey shake her head. This little girl was too much and acted just like Erica.
“He wasn’t trying to pay you?” Meechi asked, getting into character. His voice was animated and Daiya shook her head from side to side, ready to tell it all. “Ah, nah baby. We don’t play those games.”
“That what I said! But, he paid up,” she laughed, touching the money in her jeans pocket. Sen walked in and shook his head.
“What I tell you about snitching?”
&
nbsp; “Nah, don’t try and get over on mine, nigga. She should’ve charged you extra, with that big ass head of yours,” Meechi spoke, making Erica hit his arm for cursing.
“Two hundred dollars is beyond extra, my nigga. What type of high maintenance diva are ya’ll raising?” Sen asked, tickling Daiya’s stomach. She squealed in excitement before running back into the living room. The conversation was clearly over for her.
“A boss in the making. Just wait and see,” Meechi spoke. “You spoil her as much as I do. Why the hell would you give her two hundred dollars? Now, she gone up my prices and I don’t even have hair.”
Erica laughed, but knew he was right. “Good, shit. I’ma find me another beautician. She ain’t even all that my nigga. Ponytails all lopsided. Polish on my hand, instead of my nail. I want a refund,” Sen joked.
“Nah. Ain’t no refund, bitch. You get what you’re worth.”
“Dammmn Sen. You’re only worth two hundred dollars?” Erica laughed, making Meechi join in.
He sucked his teeth. “Man. Hang up on them mufuckas,” he told Neicey, who in return just laughed.
“Bye ya’ll. My baby getting in his feelings.”
“See you tomorrow, girl. Make sure you put a scarf on my baby’s hard work Senny,” Erica laughed, before she got hung up on.
Sliding her phone on the counter, Neicey walked up to Sen and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You are so sensitive sometimes. But, I’ve only saw you cry one time. Is that not weird?”
Sen shrugged. He wasn’t an emotional nigga. Well, not a crier anyways. He expressed his feelings exactly how they made him feel and didn’t hold anything back. The only time she had saw him cry was when his aunt Kamille was murdered, and that was years ago. Sen was raised to be tough. Any signs of weakness would get you killed was what Eddie told him at a young age, and he had been living by those words ever since.
“Nah, it’s not. If you ever see me cry again, just know someone is going to die.”
His voice was low, eyes dark, and face stiff. He meant that shit. Sen knew the only thing that could pull some tears up out of him was a death of a family member and something happening to Neicey. If one of the two were to ever happen, someone was surely going to meet their maker.
Neicey rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to kill every time something doesn’t go your way, crazy.”
“You made me crazy and, yes, they do. Why the fuck should they live?”
Neicey laughed and removed herself from his hold. “You were crazy when I met you. Trust me, I know. And, because… it’s inhumane. You aren’t God.”
“Man, don’t start that shit. We having a simple conversation,” he said, walking around to the fridge. Pulling out a Sprite, he twisted the cap and took a generous swig before placing it back inside.
“Simple?” Neicey questioned. “Nothing about killing innocent folk is simple. But, whatever. I won’t start. You have your beliefs, and I have mine.”
“Exactly. As many mufuckas I done bodied over the years, all of a sudden, it’s inhumane? Niggas, bitches, whomever disrespect me and mine, they lose their life. It’s pretty fucking simple Shanice. You know how this shit goes. You’ve seen it happen.”
Neicey swallowed hard. Dino’s brain matter splattered over her face was just now becoming a distant memory. “Yeah, and I wish I hadn’t,” she mumbled underneath her breath, while washing a chicken wing.
“Welp,” Sen said nonchalantly. “That’s too damn bad, baby. It’ll happen again if a nigga steps out of line.”
With that, Sen walked out of the kitchen and back to a more peaceful area, the living room where Daiya was. Neicey had almost pissed him off, but he had learned over the years of being in a relationship that some arguments were over when they were over. There was no need to go back and forth with her about something he was never going to switch up on.
With quick hands, Neicey washed the twenty or so chicken wings with an attitude. Not because of the conversation in its entirety, but because she and Sen were just going to have to agree to disagree on that subject. There were instances she did feel like the life he lived and role he played was a bit much, but she had been riding for this long; she’d never jump ship this deep in the game. Hustling and getting money was one thing. It was the reckless killings that bothered her. But, that’s how the game went, especially when you were competing with Sen. There was no winning with him. Niggas would forever take an L.
***
After the trio ate and Daiya was snuggled deep under the covers in their guest room, Neicey lay awake in she and Sen’s bed. Her mind was all over the place and she felt herself begin to panic with the thoughts of her childhood. It was as if every little thing triggered her anxiety today the worst, and it was hitting her hard now as she laid in the dark.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried covering her mouth before the whimper could escape, but it was too late. Warm tears cascaded down the side of her left cheek and onto her pillowcase. Unable to control her breathing, she tried scooting away from Sen so she wouldn’t wake him, but he pulled her body closer, scaring the shit out of her when he began to whisper in her ear.
“Where you going?”
Neicey sniffled and cleared her achy throat. “I had to pee.”
Sen loosened his grip, and Neicey hurriedly climbed from the bed, but not in a way that would startle him. Thankfully, he hadn’t heard the strained tone of her voice. Quietly, she closed the bathroom door behind her, afraid to turn on the light and look at the reflection of herself in the mirror. For someone as beautiful as she, Neicey felt ugly as ever on the inside. Declining to not turn the light on and face her tear stained cheeks, she emptied her bladder, washed her hands, and slipped back under the covers with her man. A man who had loved her from the day they first met, even though he didn’t know it at the time.
Positioning himself behind her again, Sen kissed her neck. “You gone cook breakfast in the mornin’?”
And, even at her lowest points, he could make her smile without trying. “Only because I love you,” she whispered back, trying to mask her shaky voice.
“Shit, I love you too,” he professed, pulling her closer and tucking his hand between her warm thighs. In no time, he was back snoring lightly in her ear. It was a sound Neicey had grown so fond of, she prayed that whenever her skeletons revealed themselves, the sounds of him sleeping and Sen telling her he loved her would still be possible.
Chapter Three
Picking at the mustard-colored shellac polish on her nails, Neicey listened in as Erica tried coaching her through yet another session, before her session. Scanning the parking lot from behind her tinted windows, she wondered what was going to come of today. She had been coming here on and off for the last year and nothing seemed to be working, not in her eyes anyway.
“It’s just thirty minutes, boo. You haven’t been in a while and, after last night, it’s necessary,” Erica said softly from the other end of the phone. Neicey had just dropped Daiya off at school and had about ten minutes to spare.
Neicey sighed heavily, knowing Erica was right. Last night was too close of a call and, had Sen not been in a pussy coma before mentioning breakfast, Neicey was going to have to explain with a lie why she was up shedding tears at four in the morning.
“I’ma go in there. I’m pissed I have to go into work after this. I need a fat blunt to take the edge off.”
Erica chuckled to lighten the mood. “Nope. Go in there as you are. You being high will only irritate you.”
Having been best friends well over ten years, Erica knew Neicey almost better than she knew herself. There wasn’t shit you could say about her girl without Erica coming to her defense, and you better believe Neicey was the same way.
“And I’ll end up cursing Fallone’s ass out. She knows I have issues,” she chuckled but stopped when Erica replied solemnly.
“We all have issues. You just have to figure out how you want to deal with them. Starting with getting out of your car, Shanice. Let’s
go.”
Huffing, Neicey shut her engine off with a press of a button and sluggishly climbed from the driver’s seat. “There. I’m out the car and will text you when I’m on my way to work.”
“Good!” Erica beamed. “I’m proud of you, you know that, right?”
Neicey smiled. “Mhm. I know. Thank you for the pep talk.”
“Always. I’ll talk to you later. This little boy is sitting on my bladder with his big ass,” Erica complained, wobbling to the guest restroom across the hall from their study.
“Don’t do my nephew. And stay off your fat ass feet. Meechi done told you!”
“Byeee!” Erica sang, not trying to hear her demands. She and Meechi both could kiss her fat ankles.
The cool air conditioning greeted Neicey as she pulled the glass doors open and walked inside. Making her way toward the elevator, her moves seemed robotic, as if she wasn’t herself anymore. And, in a sense… she wasn’t. When she visited Dr. Fallone’s office, she wasn’t the confident, grown woman about her business and her energetic personality definitely wasn’t present.
The ding from the elevator pulled her from the static stance she was in. One foot in front of the other, she made her way to the tinted glass door, not bothering to stop by the sign-in desk. The less people who knew she was coming here, the better off she would be. So, she thought. As she reached the door, it cracked open slowly and Dr. Fallone appeared with a soothing smile.
“You were waiting for me?” Neicey asked, once the door was closed.
Dr. Fallone waited for her to take a seat before she took hers and replied, “Always. What brings you by today?”
Releasing a heavy breath through her nostrils, Neicey got comfortable in the chair she deemed hers during the counseling sessions and prepared herself to be taken down memory lane for the next thirty minutes. If she thought she needed a blunt before now, she was definitely going to need it once the session came to an end.
***
The loud bass from Sen’s 1987 Chevy Camaro overpowered the melodic sounds of the ice cream truck before he even turned on the block his grandmother lived on. The black on black old school ride caught everyone’s attention, as he drove down the street with the top back and Yo Gotti’s Gotti Made-It album bumping. Pulling directly in front of Olivia’s two-story house, everyone in the hood stopped what they were doing to come over and greet Sen like he was a king, especially the little kids.